Arlanxeo: New HNBR plant in China

The Dutch synthetic rubber manufacturer Arlanxeo has opened a new plant for the production of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) in China.

According to a press release, a second HNBR plant was commissioned at the Changzhou site in eastern China's Jiangsu province in early February. Production on the first HNBR line in Changzhou has already been running since October of last year. In total, the new plant has annual capacities for approximately 5,000 metric tons of HNBR under the "Therban" brand.

Arlanxeo had announced plans for the construction of the plant nearly two years ago (see plasticker news from March 13, 2024) and began the corresponding construction work at the existing Changzhou site at the end of 2024. However, no information regarding the total investment associated with the project was provided in the current announcement.

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Arlanxeo CEO Stephan van Santbrink stated: "Today's inauguration is an important milestone for Arlanxeo and a strong sign of our long-term commitment to China. With the now fully functional new HNBR plant, we are further integrating our local production and R&D capacities to strengthen the resilience of our global network. By supplying locally manufactured, high-quality rubber products, we will continue to collaborate with our customers and drive application innovations to create greater economic and social value throughout our entire value chain."

According to its own statements, Arlanxeo is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-performance rubbers for the automotive and tire industries, the electronics sector, the construction industry, and the oil and gas industry. The company, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, has twelve production sites in eight countries. In Changzhou, Arlanxeo produces ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) in addition to HNBR. The company's other sites for HNBR production are located in Leverkusen, Germany, and Orange, Texas, in the United States.

Arlanxeo was founded in 2016 as a joint venture between the specialty chemicals group Lanxess and the Saudi Arabian oil company Saudi Aramco. Since Lanxess's exit at the end of 2018, the company has been 100% controlled by Saudi Aramco.

More information: www.arlanxeo.com

Arlanxeo Holding B.V., Den Haag, Netherlands

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